Completion of the MOFRICON: an optimisation system for industrial cold generation plants
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February 4, 2021The Motion Control and Industrial Applications (MCIA UPC) centre has completed its work with the Corporació Alimentària Guissona to develop an intelligent optimisation system based on machine learning techniques for industrial cold generation plants. The aim was to maximise efficiency and minimise plant operation costs, while meeting the chamber temperature requirements for food preservation.
The platform connects in a network the monitored equipment, the remote supervision service, information management and the end users of the platform. The intelligent algorithms, which apply multivariable analysis techniques based on artificial intelligence, assess the instant performance of the cold generation plant, and generate optimum operating instructions considering the operating conditions of the equipment and the expected cold demands.
The various operating scenarios (changes in meteorological conditions, changes in refrigerator loads, etc.) have a considerable impact on the operation and performance of the equipment. The proposed optimisation methodology considers stationary operating states and transitions between operating points. In this way, recommendations for the optimum configuration of the compressors are generated in all the scenarios that arise in the plant during the year.
The methodology was validated in real-time operation in the industrial refrigeration plant of the Corporació Alimentària Guissona. The results obtained using the intelligent optimisation system, compared with the classic control system, indicate electrical energy savings of up to 15% in certain operating conditions.
The project is funded by the Spanish National Programme for Research, Development and Innovation Aimed at Society’s Challenges 2017 of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation).
